User Guide

Using the Speaker System: Altec Lansing ADA885 User's Guide

Using the Speaker System (See Figure 6)

POWER.  Press this button to turn power on.  The LCD display will illuminate and show the last mode of operation.  Press again to turn power off.

MODE SWITCH.  Pressing this switch repeatedly will access several modes of operation.  Each time the MODE switch is pressed the LCD display will show which mode is selected. The various modes of operation are described below.

STEREO.  In this mode information obtained from the FRONT and S/PDIF** inputs is used. The front information is decoded to stereo.  The S/PDIF information may be PCM*** or Dolby Digital. The automatic decode circuit will process either one. If PCM is sensed it will decode to stereo.  If Dolby Digital is detected all channels will be mixed to provide stereo information. In this stereo mode sound will only be heard from the left and right front speakers and subwoofer. The center channel and surround speaker will not be operational in this mode.

STEREO X 2.  In this mode the operation is the same as for the STEREO mode. The exception is that the two surround speakers will be activated. The front left and surround left speakers will be one stereo channel and the front right and surround right will be the other channel. The level of the surround speakers can be adjusted separately. See SURROUND mode operation to make this adjustment.  Advantages of operating in this mode are that the stereo effect can be enhanced and overall audio is increased by the use of two additional amplified speakers. The center channel is not operational in this mode.

PROLOGIC.  In this mode only information obtained from the front analog input are used. All five speakers will be activated. The front left/right speakers will provide stereo and center information and the surround speakers will provide surround information. No digital inputs (S/PDIF) will be processed in this mode.

Figure 6.

1) Recessed LCD Display 2) Volume Level and Mode Indicators 3) Recessed Infra Red Detector for Remote Control Use 4) On/Off 5) Push Buttons, Mode, Bass and Treble 6) Master Volume Control

QUAD.  In this mode separate inputs are used for the FRONT and SURROUND channel sets (Refer to Figure 1).  The front channel set input is the GREEN input.  The surround channel set input is the BLACK input.  The front information is decoded to stereo and feeds the front left/right speakers and the subwoofer.  The surround information provides the surround channel and also is sent to the subwoofer.  All five speakers are operational in the QUAD mode.

DOLBY DIGITAL.  In this mode only information obtained from the FRONT and S/PDIF inputs is used.  The front information is decoded to stereo and subwoofer.  The S/PDIF information may be Dolby Digital or PCM.  The automatic decode circuit will process either one.  If PCM is sensed, it will be decoded to Prologic.  If Dolby Digital is sensed, it will be decoded to Dolby Digital and the front information will be reduced to a lower level.  All five speakers are operational in this mode.  This mode reproduces analog and digital simultaneously.

Note:  If your computer has a separate sound card with a S/PDIF output, you may use this output to feed the S/PDIF input with the front channel information.  Refer to your system documentation for output information

BASS.  The BASS button has 2 modes of operation: BASS level control or CENTER level control.

• A) BASS LEVEL CONTROL.  The bass level control is accessible in all modes of operation.  If it is desired to increase/decrease BASS response, press this button.  The LCD display will show BASS.  Also, the volume level indicators will show the last setting of the control.  Rotate the master volume control clockwise to increase bass and counterclockwise to decrease bass.  As bass response is increased/decreased the volume level indicator bars will show in ascending or descending order the bass level change.
• B) CENTER LEVEL CONTROL.  This function is only operational in Prologic and Dolby Digital mode.  Depress and hold the BASS button until the function indicator shows CENTER.  Rotate the master volume control clockwise to increase center level and counterclockwise to decrease center level.  The volume level indicator bars will show in ascending or descending order the center level change.

• C) TREBLE LEVEL CONTROL.  The treble level control is accessible in all modes of operation.  If it is desired to increase/decrease TREBLE response, press this button.  The LCD display will show TREBLE.  Also, the volume level indicator will show the last setting of the control.  Rotate the master volume control clockwise to increase treble and counterclockwise to decrease treble.  As treble level is increased/decreased the volume indicator bars will show in ascending or descending order the treble level change.
• D) SURROUND LEVEL CONTROL.  This function is operational in Prologic, Dolby Digital, Quad, and Stereo X2 modes.  Depress and hold the TREBLE button until the LCD display shows SURROUND.  Rotate the master volume control clockwise to increase surround level and counterclockwise to decrease surround level.  The volume indicator bars will show in ascending or descending order the center level change.

The noise will sequence through each channel in approximately 2-second steps.  The noise will be heard through each speaker if the system is operating properly.  The noise will continue to sequence through each channel until interrupted by pressing the MODE button.  The purpose of the test is to make sure each speaker is working.

The noise generated is composed of a wide spectrum of audio frequencies, which make it suitable to test all the speakers in the system.

MASTER VOLUME CONTROL.  The MASTER VOLUME CONTROL provides many functions.  It operates as a master volume control for the overall system and can also be used to individually adjust the volume levels of BASS, CENTER, TREBLE, and SURROUND.  If any one of the functions is selected and not adjusted within a few seconds, the control reverts back to becoming a master volume control.

FLAT RESPONSE SETTING.  To set the BASS and TREBLE controls to a flat response (default) and the CENTER and SURROUND controls to mid volume level positions, both the BASS and TREBLE buttons must be depressed at the same time.  The buttons must be kept depressed until the LCD display shows DOLBY DIGITAL.  The amplifier response is now flat (linear).  Volume level indicator bars will show in the middle of the display indicating the flat response of the amplifier.  If it is desired to increase/decrease BASS or TREBLE response, press either of these button respectively.  Rotate the master volume control clockwise to increase levels and counterclockwise to decrease levels from the flat setting.

To access CENTER volume level settings the unit may be in Dolby Digital or Prologic mode.  To access SURROUND volume level settings the unit may be in the Quad, StereoX2, Dolby Digital, or Prologic mode.  Press the TREBLE button until the LCD display shows SURROUND or hold the BASS control until the LCD display shows CENTER.  Adjust the master volume control clockwise to increase volume level and counterclockwise to decreased volume level of the SURROUND or CENTER channels.

HEADPHONE USE. (See Figure 7)  Headphone output is active in all modes.   If it is desired to listen privately, a headphone jack is available in the side of the left satellite.  A headphone (not supplied) with a 3.5 mm(1/8'') stereo plug. When the headphone is plugged into the headphone jack, the speakers are muted.  The headphone output is separately amplified and will have all the channels mixed.  The master volume control is used to adjust the headphone volume.  Remove the headphone plug to restore speaker amplification.

Figure 7

AC LEVEL POWER INDICATOR.  (See Figure 1 for switch location)  Under normal operating line voltages, the LED will glow green.  The LED will glow red when the line voltage exceeds normal operation.  In the red condition, protective circuits may turn off the audio amplifiers.  The amplifiers will operate again when the power indicator glows green.  If the indicator glows red continuously, inform your power company.  They may need to reduce the line voltage to normal levels.

DIAGNOSTIC SWITCH. (See Figure 1 for switch location)  In the event it is necessary to troubleshoot the ADA885 to make sure all speakers are operating properly, press this switch.  All speakers will revert to a flat (default) response regardless of previous settings.  A test tone**** will sequence to each speaker separately.  Notice if the speakers are working or sound is distorted or speaker levels are incorrect.  This information will help a service technician.  At the end of the test the mode will revert to Dolby Digital regardless of the mode setting prior to performing the test.

The test can be operated as many times as required to assure the system is operating properly.
 

Remote Control Operation (See Figure 8)

POWER.   Press this button to turn power on.  The LCD display will illuminate and show one of the modes previously selected.  Press again to turn power off.

TREBLE.  Press this button if it is desired to adjust the TREBLE level.  The LCD display will show TREBLE.  To increase/decrease treble volume press the plus (+) or minus (-) part of the VOL button.  The level indicators shown on the LCD display will increase in ascending order as treble volume is increased and will turn off in descending order as treble volume is decreased.

BASS.  Press this button if it is desired to adjust the BASS level.  The LCD display will show BASS.  To increase/decrease bass volume press the plus (+) or minus (-) part of the VOL button.  The level indicators shown on the LCD display will increase in ascending order as bass volume is increased and will turn off in descending order as bass volume is decreased.

MUTE.  This function is only available when using the remote control.  Press this button to mute the sound.  The LCD display volume level indicators will turn off.  The function indicator remains on.  Press this button again to restore sound.
Press any other function and sound will be restored.

CENTER.  This function is only operational in the Prologic or Dolby Digital mode.  Press this button to adjust the volume level of the center channel.  The LCD display will show CENTER.  Set the center level by using the plus (+) or minus (-) part of the VOL button.  The LCD display will increase in ascending order as volume is increased and will turn off in descending order as volume is decreased.

SURR(SURROUND).  This function is operational in the StereoX2, Quad, Prologic, and Dolby Digital mode.  Press this button to adjust the volume level of the surround channel.  Set the surround level by using the plus (+) or minus (-) part of the VOL button.  The LCD volume level indicators will increase in ascending order as the volume is increased and will turn off in descending order as the volume is decreased.

MODE.  Repeatedly press this button to access all modes of operation: STEREO, STEREO X2, PROLOGIC, DOLBY DIGITAL and QUAD.

Figure 8.

**S/PDIF -Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format
***PCM -Pulse Code Modulation
****To test the subwoofer, the frequency of the tone will change to one suitable for testing the subwoofer.

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